Can-wiping machine.



2 Sheefs-Sheet l No. 657,2l6. Patentedsept. 4', |900.. M. J. HAwKlNS. CAN w'lPlNG MAcHmE.

(Application Afiled Feb. 12. 1900.)

(No Mudel.)

775570256" es ,f

I No. 657,2I6. Patented Sept. 4, |900.

M. J. HAwKms.

CAN WIPING MACHINE.

(Application led'reb. 12, 1960.)

(N o Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

llnfirrnnN STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILLARD J. IIAVKINS, OF HOOPESTON, ILLINOIS.

CAN-WIPING IVIACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 657,216, dated September 4, 1900. Application filed February 12,1900. Serial No. 4,346. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MILLARD J. HAWKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hoopeston, in the county of Vermilion and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Oan-VViping Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of machines which are used for brushing or wiping the open top of the filled cans before the caps are applied thereto and which embody a canconveying mechanism by which the cans are moved past one or more rotary or other brushes which operate upon the tops of the cans as the latter are moved underneath and past the brushes. The can-conveying mechanism of such wiping or brushing machines is sometimes a stationary table over which the cans are moved by an endless-belt conveyer and sometimes a rotary table which supports the cans and at the same time moves them past the brushes. Ileretofore the cans have been supplied to the conveying mechanism of such machines one at a time either by hand or automatically by a feed-belt upon which the cans are placed in single file.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide the machine with a feed mechanism which does not require the constant attention ofthe operator and which can be supplied by the operator with a number of cans at a time without delinite order of arrangement and which will automatically separate the cans and feed them one at a time to the conveying mechanism, which carries the cans past the brushes or wipers.

In machines of this class various devices have been employed for causing the cans to roll or rotate about their axes as they pass by the brush in order to insure the thorough cleaning of each can all around the opening in its top. Nevertheless it often happens that the friction of the can against the table or other parts of the can-channel prevents the can from rotating and causes it to slide, in which case the top of the can is not properly brushed or cleaned.

Another object of my invention is to avoid this difficulty, and this object is attained, brietly stated, by elevating the can as it passes the brush, with its bottom at one side from the table, so that it bears with its bottom only on one side. By this means the friction or resist-ance which the can encounters is greatly reduced, the rotative movement of the can is greatly facilitated, and the sliding of the can is prevented.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, Figure l is a front elevation of my improved can-wiping machine. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section in line 3 3, Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section in line t et, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section in line 5 5, Fig. 1.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the wiping-table, which forms the bottom of the channel through which the cans are moved and which consists, essentially, of a longitudinal front part a, a longitudinal rear part a', and connecting front and rear end portions a2 a3. This table is supported on legs B or otherwise.

O represents the wiping-brush, which is arranged lengthwise over the rear partl a of the table and which rotates in such a direction that its lower portion rotates outwardly, as indicated by the arrow, Fig. 4. The brush is driven by any suitable means and may be mounted, as shown, on a horizontal shaftc, journaled in bearings d d on the transverse arms D D, and may be driven from a longitudinal driving-shaft E by a chain belt e, passing around sprocket-wheels e e2. The driving-shaft is arranged in front of the brush and is journaled in the upper ends of standards' F F. The supporting arms D are mounted with their front ends on the driving-shaft or on the standards F, so as to swing concentric with the shaft, in order to permit the arms and the brush to be raised or lowered for taking up wear on the brush, or for adjusting the same to different heights of cans without changing the tension of the belt e. This adjustment is eftected'by adjusting-screws g bearing against lugs g on the standards F. Power is appliedV to the driving-shaft by a belt passing around a pnl` ley E.

H represents a hood or guard which incloses the upper portion of the wiping-brush and which is mounted on the standards F.

I represents a conveyor-belt provided with outwardlyprojecting iiights or wings I',

ICD

yIo

whereby the cans are carried through the can-channel and past the brush. This conveyer is arranged with its longitudinal front and rear portions over the front apd rear parts of the wiping-table and passes around horizontal sprocket-wheels@ t', arranged over the end portions of the table. The conveyerbelt runs with its back between the sprocketwheels along stationary guide bars or rails 2, which hold the belt from being deflected inwardly. Each of the sprocket-wheels is secured to the upper end of a vertical shaft 3,

`which is jourualed in bearings on the table.

The shaft of the rear sprocket-wheel t" is driven from a transverse driving-shaft J by bevel gear-wheels jj. The driving-shaft J is provided with a sproeket-wheelj2, which receives a driving chain belt. The cans are carried by the conveyer from the front part of the table .lengthwise in the direction of the arrow-to the left in Fig. 3-then around the front end a2 of the table, and then length- Wise to the right along the rear part a' of the table, underneath and past the brush, and are removed from the conveyer at the rear end a2 of the table in any suitable or well-known manner.

The cans are fed to the front or receiving part of the conveyor by a feed mechanism which is constructed as follows:

K represents a horizontal rotary feed disk or table which is arranged on a level with the front part of the wiping-table and mainly infront of the same, but projects with its rear part into a recess in the front part of the wiping-table. The feed-table is rotated in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3, by any suitable means. As shown, this feed-table is secured to the upper end of a vertical shaft Zo', journaled in a bearing formed in a bracket k2, which is secured to the table, and is driven by gear-wheels Z Z', secured, respectively, to the upright shaft 7c and a horizontal intermediate shaft Z2, and a chain belt Z3, passing around sprocketwheels Z4 Z5, secured, respectively, to the drivingshaft J and the intermediate shaft Z2.h

M represents a curved guide bar or rail which is arranged along the peripheral edge` of the feed-table at its delivery side for'eontinin g the cans to the table. This side guide or peripheral guide is secured to the front part of the wiping-table or any other stationary support.

M represents a stationary longitudinal guide bar or rail which is arranged overthe feed-table lengthwise in front of the conveyer and which forms part of the front wall of the can-channel through which the conveyer moves the cans. This rail or bar is secured with its rear end to the wiping-table, near the edge of the feed-table, and projects over the feed-table.

N represents a movable longitudinal guide-l its free end arranged at such a distance from the latter that a throat M2 is formed between the stationary side guide M and the end of the movable guide N, through which only one can can pass at a time from the feed-table into the can channel in which the conveyer travels. This movable guide N is doubled back at its free end, as shown at n, or otherwise rounded to facilitate the passage of the cans through the throat. This movable guide is held yieldingly in its normal position bya spring device which allows the guide to yield outwardly at its free end. As shown, the guide N is secured to the upper end of a short verticaly shaft n. This shaft is journaled in a bearing n2, arranged on the front part of the wiping-table adjacent to the delivery side of the feed-table. The guide-arm N is pressed inwardly or backwardly by a spring n3, connected at one end with the wiping-table and at its other end to an arm n4, which is secured to the lower end of the shaft u'. The inward movement of this guide-arm toward the con veyer-belt is limited by a stop-finger m5, engaging against the guide-rail M.

The filled cans, if supplied by hand, can be placed indiscriminately, as they happen to come, on the front portion of the feed-table and are carried by the rotation of the same into the throat between the side guide M and the movable longitudinal guide-arm N. This throat allows but one can to pass at a time,

and the cans are in this manner moved, one after another, into the can-channel, where they are seized by the conveyer-ights and carried onward. If a can is caught between the outer end of a conveyenflight and the inner end of the guide-arm N, the latter yields outwardly and permits the can to clear itself from the flight and pass in front of the next iight, thereby preventing the injuring or indenting of the can.

In some cases it is desirable 'to arrange a movable controller-arm on the side of the throat on which the lixed side guide M isarranged. O represents such a controller-arm which is pivoted by a vertical pin o to the wiping-table near the rear end of the side guide M. This controlleriarm projects with IOO IIO

its free end toward the yielding guide-arm N and toward the conveyer. When a conveyerflight stands in rear of this arm, as repre sented in Fig. 3, the arm obstructs the throat to such an extent that a can cannot pass through the throat. When such conveyer-Y iight has cleared the controller-arm,.the latter is free to be swung back toward the conveyer-belt by the pressure of the cans on the feed-table, whereby the throat is opened and a can allowed to pass through. After the controller-arm has been so moved inwardly by a can into the space between two iiights, the flight in rear of such space engages with the controller-arm and moves the same outwardly, so that it stands again across the throat. In this way the position of the con-Y troller-arm is controlled by the liights of the conveyer so as to open and obstruct the throat alternately.

P represents a curved guide forming the outer wall of the can-channel around the front end portion a2 of the wiping-table.

The cans rest squarely on their bottoms in moving through the can-channel until the rear part of the feed-table is reached, over which the brush is arranged. Before the cans reach the brush they are tilted so that they are supported only on one edge or side instead of squarely on the bottom. This causes the cans to rotate or roll more readily while being carried past the brush and prevents the cans from sliding on their bottoms while being brushed. The tilting of the cans is effected by a longitudinal tilting-rail Q,which bears against the upper part of the cans on the inner side thereof and tilts the cans outwardly or rearwardly while passing underneath the brush. This rail is arranged lengthwise over the rear longitudinal portion of the wiping-table and on the front or inner side of the can-chan nel and projects slightly into the upper part of the normal path of the cans, so that the horizontal distance between the face of the outer lower guide-rail p and the face of the upper tilting-rail Q is less than the diameter of a can. The can therefore cannot stand squarely on its bottom in passing between these rails. As the can is carried by the conveyer through this part of the canchannel the can engages at its bottom against the lower outer guide-railp and at its top against thetilting-rail Q, whereby the can is tilted outwardly with its upper part and rests only at its outer side with its lower edge upon the wiping-table. As the can is moved along in this tilted position it rolls with its outer lower part against the lower outer rail p and presents all parts 'of its top and groove to the wiping-brush. The friction between the upper inner part of the can and the tilting-rail is inconsiderable owing to the outward pressure exerted by the brush upon the top of the can, which tends to move the can away from the tilting-rail, so that this rail ,does not materially interfere with the rolling action of the can. The tilting-rail is preferably adjustable transversely for adapting it to dilerent sizes of cans. A fastening device suitable for this purpose consists of clamping-bolts q,passin g th rough slotted lugs q on the tilting-rail and through standards q2, secured to the wiping-table. Vhen the cans are large and heavy, the outwardly sweeping or 4pressing action of the brush is not sufficient to push the cans with their upper portions away Vfrom the tilting-rail; but when the cans are small or filled with light material there is danger of the cans being tipped over by the outward pressure of the brush. In order to avoid such tipping over of the cans, a longitudinal retaining rail or bar R is arranged above the lower guide-rail p along the outer upper side of the path of the cans. If the can is pushed away from the tilting-rail by the action of the wiping-brush, the upper outer part of the can is stopped by this retaining-rail, and the can then rolls with its outer side on the lower rail p and the upper rail R. The retaining-rail may be supported from the guide-railp by posts r. The guide-rail p and retaining-rail R are preferably adj ustably secured to the wiping-table, so as to permit of adjusting these rails transversely with reference to the path of the cans and adapt the machine for wiping cans of different diameters. The adjusting device for this purpose (shown in the drawings) consists of clamping-screws s, passing through slotted lugs s on the lower guide-railp and entering threaded openings in the wipingtable.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination with a wiping-brush and a conveying mechanism whereby the cans are carried past said brush, of a horizontal feed-table rotating toward the conveying mechanism and adapted to receive a number of cans at a time, and means whereby the cans are caused to move singly from said table to the conveying mechanism, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the wiping-brush, and the conveyer whereby the cans are carried to the brush, of a rotary feed-table projecting with its delivery portion underneath said conveyer, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with the wiping-brush and the conveyer whereby the cans are carried to said brush, of a rotary feed-table projecting with its delivery portion underneath said conveyer, and guides arranged at the delivery side of the feed-table and forming a throat through which the cans are moved singly by the feed-table to the conveyer, substantially as set forth.

v 4t. The combination with the wiping-table, the wiping-brush, and the conveyer whereby the cans are carried to the brush, of a rotary feed-table projecting with' its delivery portion underneath said conveyer, a side guide l arranged along the periphery of the feed-table at the delivery-side thereof, and a longitudinal guide projecting over the feed-table toward said side guide, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with a wiping-brush and a conveying mechanism whereby the cans are carried past said brush, of a horizontal, rotary feed-table which is arranged adjacent to the receiving portion of said conveying mechanism, a side guide which confines the cans to the feed-table on the delivery side thereof, and a movable longitudinal guide arranged over the feed-table with its free end near said side guide and having its free end movable toward and from said conveying mechanism, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with a wiping-brush anda conveying mechanism whereby the cans are carried past said brush, of a horizontal, rotary feed-table arranged adjacent to the IOO IIO

receiving portion of said conveying mechanism, a side guide which confines the cans to the feed-tableon the delivery side thereof, a guide-arm arranged above the feed-table and pivotedl to swing toward and from said conveying mechanism, and a spring which presses said arm toward the conveying mechanism, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with a wiping-brush and a conveying mechanism provided with laterally-projecting flights whereby thecans are carried past said brush, of `a horizont-al, rotary feed-table arranged adjacent to the receiving portion of said conveying mechanism, guides forming a throat over the feedtable through which the cans pass to the conveying mechanism, and a movable controllerarm which is shifted by the flights of the conveying mechanism to obstruct said throat when a flight is opposite the same, substantially as set fort-h.

8. The combination with the wiping-table, the wiping-brush, and the conveyer provided With flights whereby the cans are carried to the brush, of a rotary feed-table arranged adjacent to the conveyer, a side guide arranged along the delivery side of the feed-table, a pivoted longitudinal guide overlying the opposite side of the feed-table and separated from the side guide by a throat through which the cans are carried by the feed-table to the conveyer, and a pivoted controller-arm arranged adjacent to said side guide and adapted to be engaged by the ights of the conveyer and shifted across said throat, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination with a wiping-brush, and a conveyer whereby the cans are carried past said brush,of a bottom guide adapted to engage with the lower part of the cans on one side thereof, and al tilting-guide adapted to engage with the upper part of the cans on the opposite side thereof, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination with the wi pin g-brush, and the conveyer whereby the cans are carried past the brush, of alongitudinal bottom guidev rail arranged on one side of the can-channel and adapted to engage with the lower part of the cans on one side thereof, and a longitudinal top guide-rail arranged on the opposite side of the can-channel and adapted to engage with the upper part of the cans on the opposite side thereof, the horizontal distance between the faces of said rails being less than the diameter of a can, substantially as set forth.

l1. The combination with the wiping=brush,

and the con veyer whereby the cans are carried MILLARD j. HAWKINS.

Vitnesses:

J. B. WALLBRIDGE, XVALTER T. GUNN. 

